600.473 Algorithmic Game Theory - Spring 2016

Course Description: This course provides an introduction to algorithmic game theory: the study of games from the perspective of algorithms and theoretical computer science. There will be a particular focus on games that arise naturally from economic interactions involving computer systems (such as economic interactions between large-scale networks, online advertising markets, etc.), but there will also be broad coverage of games and mechanisms of all sorts. Topics covered will include a) complexity of computing equilibria and algorithms for doing so, b) (in)efficiency of equilibria, and c) algorithmic mechanism design. Students may receive credit for 600.473 or 600.673, but not both. Pre-req: 600.363/463 or permission.

Assignments

Announcements

Feb 4: Homework 1 has been released.

Jan 26: Welcome to the class!

Project Information

This class will have a final project which will consist of each student reading a modern research paper on algorithmic game theory and giving a 20-minute presentation to the class. Good conferences to look for interesting papers are EC (Electronic Commerce), WINE (Workshop in Internet and Network Economics), STOC, FOCS, and SODA.

Additional Resources

Some texts that are related to topics we will cover. They are useful for further study in this field.